Police urge residents to be prepared and excercise caution around ice

RCMP in Labrador are reminding coastal residents to be prepared when going out of the land by snowmobile for extended periods and be very cautious when traveling on the ice during this time of year.

The RCMP in Postville and Search and Rescue personnel received two calls for assistance Tuesday night., but fortunately the people reported overdue returned home safely.

According to police, the first call at 7:40 p.m. was in relation to a man who didn't return after a day in the woods after encountering snowmobile problems on the ice, but he eventually returned home safely.

A second call at 10:18 p.m. was received, indicating that two people had left Postville towards Goose Bay to help a friend whose snowmobile had broken down on the trail.

After repairing the machine, the four people encountered problems, getting stuck in "slob ice". However, all returned home safely.

The RCMP advises that "SPOT" satellite locators should be used when travelling by snowmobile for extended periods and contact with family members via satellite phones should be made if you find yourself past your expected arrival time.